March 23, 2011 Side reins and steering

Rory started off fairly well today, then decided that he didn't want to walk, or halt, or actually stand still once I managed to get a halt.  He was a little distracted, and I think a little full of energy as the footing outside is varying between frozen ruts and greasy mud on a daily basis.  He didn't even offer to buck once today.  After about five minutes he was listening reasonably well and I halted him and snapped the side reins onto his bit.  They were really long so he'd have to reach out to find the limitation - and find it he did.  Even though he had to stretch his neck to get to the limit of the reins, Rory chomped and pulled for a few circles before realizing that he could just relax and the reins wouldn't be pulling on his mouth.  I allowed him to trot for several circles without any transitions while he figured that out.  We did a few transitions and then changed directions.  Rory did get a bit distracted again when he heard someone walking outside the arena, but he continued to trot around me and did come back to walk when I asked.

After the longeing I snapped my lead rope to the left bit ring and introduced the idea of steering.  I had Rory walk forward while I walked beside him just in front of his hip, and then I put a little pressure on the bit.  At first he pulled back, but almost immediately he turned his head.  His front feet tended to stop after three or four steps while his hind feet kept going until he was facing me.  I gave him a carrot and a pat for that.  When he got good at turning towards the bit pressure I started releasing the pressure after he'd started the turn and asking him to keep walking forward.  This confused him a little bit the first time, but within four or five times he was continuing to walk in the new direction as he realized that was what I wanted.  I was quick to stop him and give him a carrot after he'd taken a few more walk steps so he would still get his reward.  It still amazes me just how fast Rory will pick up on something new when I get the carrots involved.

Time flies and I forget just how big Rory has grown until I see a picture of me standing beside him.  It seems like only last year he was a tiny little fellow, and yet I expect to be getting on his back in another six weeks or so.

March 17, 2011 - The good, the bad and the ugly



Spring must be coming - everything's turning to mud

I took Rory out for another longe session with side reins tonight.  Once again it was later in the day than usual and there was a fair amount of activity outside the arena to distract him.  When we first went into the arena his older paddock buddy was already there walking with his owner.  Totyo's whinnies got their buddy a little up, and his owner took him back to the barn.  That's the first time Rory's had to watch another horse leave while he was working.  Naturally he was a bit distracted and whinnied a couple of times, but he still walked and trotted when I asked.  I had set up four trot poles on one side of the arena and made sure we didn't start over them until after refreshing the longe commands.  Rory bolted, or tried to, several times tonight, once managing to pull the longeline right out of my hand.  He only bucked once, and walked out of a couple of halts without being asked.  But Rory did give me some very good work tonight as well.  He walked and trotted over the poles, and stayed in a steady trot as I jogged with him along the long sides of the oval.
The barn was busier than usual as well, but Rory stood still on the cross ties while I untacked him, put things away, and got his blanket.  It's frustrating when the youngsters get distracted and seem to forget all they've learned, but it's just as important that they learn to deal with distractions.  I just have to keep that in mind.

March 15, 2011 - Bucking bronco

I was sick all last week and didn't do anything with Rory.  Today was the first time in a while I had him out.  It was late afternoon and there were other people around making noises outside the arena.  Rory's not used to it and found them a little distracting at times.  He was also full of beans since the footing isn't great outside.  I saddled up and we went out to the arena.  I finally remembered to take my side reins out to the barn and I put them on Rory today.  We started without the side reins just to get the longe refresher.  Rory walked and trotted on command, then something got his back up and he started to buck.  The first couple were pretty decent jumps up into the air that probably would have unseated me had I been riding, but as he lost forward momemtum he ended up just bouncing up and down on one spot.  I sent him forward again at the trot and he settled down.  He tried to start bucking again a minute later, but I was quicker to pull him in and send him forward again so he only got a couple of bucks in.  Once he was paying attention, mostly, I halted him and attached the side reins to his halter.



Rory took a couple of steps of walk, then slowed down as he poked his nose forward and felt the restriction of the side reins.  I encouraged him to walk forward and he found that his normal head carriage didn't pull on his nose.  The trot went okay as well, and I found it was easier to keep him on the circle when he got a bit quick.  I think the outside rein helped.  A couple of times Rory really lifted his back and arched his neck for a few strides, but he didn't hold it for long.  There's always another noise to distract him.  I found it a little frustrating, but on reflection it's coming at a good stage of training for him to learn that he does have to listen to me first even when there are distractions.

March 8, 2011 - Another photo op

The weather was just right last night to settle the moisture in the air on everything in sight.  The sun coming up over the frosted landscape inspired me to take more pictures.

March 1, 2011 - Suckered by that cute face

I hadn't planned to do anything with Rory today.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I wandered around taking some photos.  Rory always has an eye on whatever is going on around the property, and I was no exception.  The fact that I often have carrots in my pocket doesn't have anything to do with his attention I'm sure.  I was back by the barn, about ready to head off home when Rory spotted me and wandered down to the paddock gate.  It was such a nice picture I couldn't resist taking it.

Rory stood there and looked at me as I took the picture.  And stayed there as I told him to go back to his hay, or chase Totyo around.  He's got such a cute face that I just gave in, went and got his halter and brought him in for a grooming session.  And carrots of course.  Suckered again!